EVERYONE'S FAVORITE LASAGNA

Everyone's Favorite Lasagna image

Provided by Eva99

Categories Meat

Time 3h20m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (28 ounce) cans italian style plum tomatoes, drained with juices
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
15 plain lasagna noodles or 15 spinach lasagna noodles
1 (15 ounce) container cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan; add the ground beef, onion and garlic.
Sauté, stirring, over medium meat until the meat is browned.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce, basil and oregano.
Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until sauce is cooked down and thickened, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
There should be about 4 cups of sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain.
Place noodles in a bowl of cool water until ready to use.
Beat the cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg together; set aside.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Add about 1/2 cup of sauce to bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Lift the noodles from the water individually and blot dry on paper towels.
Arrange a slightly overlapping layer of 5 noodles on the bottom of the dish.
Cover the noodles with half the ricotta mix; add about 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the mozzarella.
Arrange a second layer of 5 noodles.
Add the remaining ricotta, half of the remaining sauce and half of the remaining mozzarella.
Top with the remaining 5 noodles, the remaining sauce and the last of the mozzarella.
Bake until the cheese is melted and the mixture is bubbly, about 50 minutes.
Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.